Protest Too Much
by DrawnToTheRhythm
Summary: Despite his assurances to House, James Wilson honestly couldn't stop thinking about her. Postep for 'Act Your Age'. Wuddy.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own House or any of the characters mentioned herein. If I did I wouldn't be here.

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James headed for the elevator and hit '1'. As he stood watching the numbers counting down, he tapped his foot impatiently, hesitated a few times before reaching out and pushing another button. He clasped his hands together in front of himself and stared at the floor. His head shot up when the doors opened and he stepped out into the deserted hallway.

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Cuddy sat humming to herself, tapping her feet to the beat as her legs rested atop her mahogany desk. She was intently reading through the last of her paperwork when there was a knock on her office door. Pausing mid-bar, Cuddy rapidly swung her legs from the table and sat up a little straighter in her chair.

"Come in!" she said loudly. The door slid open to reveal a tense-looking Jimmy WIlson.

"Hey," He greeted with a nervous smile, "Working late?"

As if on cue, Cuddy yawned.

"Actually I was just finishing up and about to head home." Cuddy tilted her head inquisitively, "Are you ok?"

Wilson looked taken aback by the sudden change of topic but after a few gaping moments he responded with a frown.

"Yes, I'm fine. Why d'you ask?"

Cuddy shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know, you just seemed like you were... avoiding me today. I had a good time last night and I got the impression that you did too. Then I show up at work and you avoid being in the same room as me all day. Have I done something to offend you?"

"No!" Wilson exclaimed reflexively, his eyes wide with panic. "No, I just... House." He finished, by way of an explaination. Cuddy placed the span of her thumb and index finger across her brow and massaged it. She could feel another House-induced migrane suddenly coming on.

"What's he done now? Broken an MRI scanner? Insulted a patient's mother? Whatever it is just tell me I don't need to call legal."

"You'll be glad to hear the answer is 'no' to all of the above." Wilson stated with an upward inflection. He reached one hand behind his head and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "He, ah, sent me a bunch of flowers." Cuddy's brow creased in confusion.

"I know, he told me. Is there something I should know about you two?"

"From you." He continued and her eyebrows lifted in surprise. Cuddy opened her mouth to ask a question but it died on her tongue only to be replaced by a second.

"Were there kisses?"

James's eyebrows shot to his hairline as his hand shot down by his side and he looked at her in shock.

"Ah, urm, yeah." He admitted sheepishly. The silence that followed was not entirely uncomfortable as Cuddy ran over the possible implications of Wilson's behaviour and Wilson awaited a response. After what seemed like far too long to Jimmy, Cuddy looked up.

"So you've been avoiding me because you aren't interested in me and you didn't know how to break it to me?" Wilson remained silent. "Oh." A small blush crept up James's face.

"Look, it's really not a big deal. I'm your friend and I like you. That's my problem, not yours, it doesn't have to complicate anything. Like I said, it wasn't a date, it was a social activity between friends. I'll understand if you would rather we didn't socialise outside of work any more." Once his speech was over, Cuddy was staring at him with intrigue. She slowly peeled her glasses off and dangled them from her left hand.

"I had a great time last night. I enjoyed your company."

"I hear a big 'but' coming here." Wilson interjected, looking between her and her desk. Cuddy stood and walked around her desk only to perch herself on it in front of him so that nothing was physically separating them. Wilson idly noticed just how short she was in her stockings.

"No 'but'. I'm not going to lie to you, James, I'm planning to have IVF in the very near future. I'm not getting any younger and I want a child before it's too late. I'll be a single parent and I'm fine with that. I don't expect the 2.5 kids and white picket fence. I don't know many men who could handle that and that's ok. I'll understand if you want to walk away, pretend we never had this conversation."

Wilson stared at a spot on the carpet several feet in front of him for a few moments which Cuddy took as a bad sign. She stood up and began to walk back round her desk when-

"Are you busy this evening?"

Cuddy's head shot up to find him looking at her, honest and warmly inviting.

"No."

"Want to go for dinner?"

Cuddy looked taken aback then pleased.

"I'd love to! Just give me five minutes to finish up. Meet you at your car?"

Wilson smiled.

"Sure. See you soon," and with that he left her office, leaving the door ajar.


	2. Chapter 2

Iano's Rosticceria was quiet on a Wednesday night at this time so they obtained a table with ease. James pulled Cuddy's chair out as the waiter took her coat. She smiled appreciatively at both men although the smile she gave to Wilson was marginally less polite and much more seductive. Wilson swallowed hard. For all of House's complaints about her work attire, Cuddy maintained a strictly professional air about her at Princeton-Plainboro. In private, however, she was every bit as confidently allluring as her strong personality in her job suggested. Having taken a seat, Wilson briefly perused the wine menu before setting it aside in favour of the soft drinks menu. When the waiter returned, he took the liberty of ordering a bottle of sparkling water for them both. Cuddy nodded appreciatively, noting that he had not forgotten that alcohol was off her menu, at least for the time being.

"So, any idea what tastes good here?" He asked.

Cuddy shrugged and smiled.

"You tell me, you chose the restaurant! Although I'm particularly partial to the _Lasagne di San Gimignano_ myself"

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As main course was cleared away, James broached the subject he had been dying to ask about all night.

"If you don't mind me asking, and please do tell me to mind my own business if it makes you uncomfortable, but why IVF, and why now? You're still young. You still have time to find Mr Right."

Cuddy looked at though she had expected him to ask at some point during the evening. After all, she had been the one to bring the subject up earlier in the evening. She carefully considered her answer.

"I'm not getting any younger, and to be honest, I don't want to take my chances that I may or may not meet somebody and by then it may be too late."

"Have you given any thought to potential donors?"

"Well I don't want to choose a random donation from the bank if I can help it. Although to be honest, I doubt that I'll have many other options. Ideally I would choose somebody that I know. Failing that, I'll choose based on my own preferences." Cuddy laughed, "Although I'm sure my parents would prefer it greatly if I chose a Jewish donor!" At this, WIlson chuckled, his eyes creasing at the corners.

"Don't they always?" He quipped, "Needless to say my mother was very disappointed when I informed her that I was marrying Julie. She lamented the loss of potential Jewish grandchildren!"

Cuddy rested her elbow on the table and rested her chin in her cupped hand.

"What about you? Do you have any plans for children?"

"Why would I need children of my own when my daily routine involves supervising the world's biggest child?" He joked, smiling. Cuddy returned the smile with vigour. "Seriously? I suppose I always assumed that I would have children one day. When I was younger I imagined I would have children when I got married, look how well that turned out! Three marriages and no uber-Wilsons! I guess if it's meant to happen then it will. I'm not a great believer in fate but I do hold out hope for one day." Wilson took a deep breath, the conversation had gotten a little intense. "Would you like dessert?"

"I've never been one to turn down Italian ice cream!" Cuddy replied, grinning childishly gleefully. Wilson couldn't help but repond in kind and Cuddy was hit head on with the patented Wilson boyish smile; she was taken by surprise by the sudden flickering sensation in her stomach.

"Vanilla, chocolate or mint?" Wilson teased, dangling the dessert menu in front of her nose playfully, causing her to giggle.

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Wilson parked his car just outside Cuddy's building and insisting on doing the gentlemanly thing of walking her to her door. Oddly, she countered no objection which surprised Wilson greatly. They walked in companionable silence to her doorstep as she retrieved her keys from her purse.

"Well here's my cue to bid you goodnight!" Wilson announced as her front door swung open.

"Thanks James, I had a wonderful evening." She grinned, staring up into his deep brown eyes.

"Goodnight, Lisa." He moved to walk away but was halted by a kiss on his cheek. It was so soft he wasn't entirely sure he hadn't imagined it.

"See you tomorrow." Cuddy went inside as Wilson walked to his car with a smirk on his face.

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	3. Chapter 3

"Wow, don't we look smug this morning?" House threw at Wilson the second he walked through his office door. His eyes opened wide. "Jimmy's back in the game! Who was it?"

Wilson screwed his face up.

"Who was what?"

"The lucky lady you had sex with last night!"

Wilson just stared increduously.

"And what leads you to that assumption, House?"

House folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair.

"You walk in here with a grin that could light up the Eiffel Tower, what am I supposed to think? And I notice you avoided the question. Who was it? Oh, I know, it was that nurse from NICU!"

"Who, Jenni with an 'i'? I haven't seen her around for weeks! For your information I didn't have sex with anyone last night."

"Another night in with 'The Secret Lives of the Sorority Sisters lll' then, was it?" Wilson threw him a disgusted look and House narrowed his eyes. "Something happened last night. You look like Keith Richards in a room full of narcotics!"

"Well, as much as I would _love_ to stay and chat, I have a ward full of patients to see. Have a good day, Greg!" Wilson left the room and House yelled after him through the closing door.

"I'm going to find out, you know! And since when do you call me 'Greg'?!" Wilson just waved over his shoulder as he retreated down the corridor.

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Cameron walked into the office adjoining House's wondering where the grouchy Diagnostician was. She didn't have to wait long.

"CAMERON!" Came a hollar from the direction of House's office. She turned around to see Dr House bent behind his desk, evidently trying to reach something in the bottom of one of his drawers.

"Good morning, House!" She greeted almost sarcastically as penance for his summoning of her in such a rude manner. "How are you this morning?"

"Irked. What did you do last night?"

"Excuse me?"

House shrugged.

"Did you by any chance go on a date?"

Cameron looked slightly perturbed.

"No."

"Oh I suppose it's not classed as a date if he doesn't buy you dinner first," House responded absentmindedly to which Cameron made a strangled noise.

"Excuse me? Not that it's any of your business but I met up with some friends of mine from college last night! Now if you've finished analysing my personal life, can we get back to the girl with the green and purple skin lesions?"

"That's what Chase and Foreman are here for. I have more pressing matters to attend to!"

And with that House hobbled out as fast as his cane would carry him and disappeared out of sight, leaving Dr Cameron to once again ponder the inner workings of Greg House's mind.

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"Dr Wilson!" Jimmy turned around to greet Cuddy running along the corridor behind him. "Morning! How are you today?"

"Very well thank you, Yourself?"

"I'm... ok. Listen, could I possibly have a word with you?"

Wilson smiled.

"Sure!" He glanced around the corridor quickly and shepherded Cuddy into a nearby empty room, "But not here, House is on the prowl. He knows something's up with me and he's determined to find out what it is."

Cuddy stiffened as he ushered her through the door.

"OK, well I wanted to ask you something." Wilson nodded for her to go ahead, "You may want to sit down."

Wilson swung a seat out from under the desk and sat down.

"Sounds ominous. What can I do you for?" He hadn't meant it to come out like that and he visibly winced. "I meant how can I help?"

Cuddy shuffled on the spot for a few seconds before taking a seat opposite him.

"Wow, here goes," she whispered more to herself than Wilson, "Will you be my donor?"

Wilson's eyes grew wide.

"Donor? As in..."

"Sperm donor, yes."

"Wow!" He exclaimed, looking visibly winded.

"I understand if you don't want to and that's fine, it's just, you're really the only person I trust enough to ask and, well... take as long as you like, no pressure. I know it's a lot to ask but please just consider it. It would mean a lot to me." Cuddy wrung her hands together. "Of course I'm not expecting you to have any further responsibility beyond the initial donation. It'll be just like an organ donation of sorts. No strings. I don't want this to complicate things with us. It's an entirely separate issue in my mind. It would be a favour between friends. Our...," she hesitated to use the word 'relationship' for something so fledgling, "...dating, for lack of a better term, won't change. I like you and I'd like to give us a shot, if that's what you want." Wilson sat in silence. "Please, say something. Anything. Yell at me, tell me to go to hel-"

"I need some time." He simply stated.

"OK, that I can do. No pressure, remember?"

At that moment Wilson's pager beeped.

"Ah, I have to go. I'll get back to you soon and we can talk about it."

"OK, go, your patient needs you." She shooed him out of the door and watched as he sped off down the corridor, glancing back several times at her and smiling weakly.

_I need you _her mind filled in once he was out of site _Oh I hope I haven't screwed everything up._

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	4. Chapter 4

Cuddy stepped out of the door a few minutes later and ran straight into House.

"Cuddy! What a pleasant surprise!"

Cuddy regarded him with severe distaste.

"House."

"Have you seen Wilson this morning?"

"No, I haven't. Don't you have a patient still to diagnose?"

House grinned smugly in the manner of a pleased toddler holding a cookie.

"The Scooby Gang are on it. I have more important things to diagnose!"

Cuddy put her hands on her hips, obviously unimpressed.

"More important than doing your job? What is this thing that is so important you find out?"

"Wilson had sex last night. I'm going to find out who with."

"Oh, and you know this for a fact, do you?"

"He came in looking incredibly smug this morning. Jimmy only does smug when he gets laid. I have a sneaking suspicion that it was with someone in this hospital."

Cuddy's eyebrows raised.

"Oh?"

"Well he doesn't exactly spend much time elsewhere, where could he have met anyone except here?"

"Oh, I don't know. Chat lines? The Internet? The corner of Fifth and Park? Need I remind you that there's a reason why we pay you the big bucks? Now, forget this little one-upmanship of yours and get back to work!"

And with that Cuddy strode away to her office leaving a stunned House in her wake. Had Cuddy just suggested Wilson had hired a hooker? That was such an un-Cuddy-like remark. And why was she so interested in Wilson's sex life anyway? An idea hit him like a ton of bricks. His smirk returned with vigour. Wilson _did_ go to Cuddy's office last night after he left House's office; he was with _Cuddy_ last night!

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James approached Cuddy's office. The night shift staff had been on duty for over an hour and the hospital was quiet. From behind its door he could hear the soft strains of jazz music and something else he couldn't make out until he got closer; Cuddy was singing quietly. He smiled to himself before knocking on her door. He waited for the familiar greeting before entering.

"I waited until House had left for the evening before coming up here," he stated conspiratorily.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking about your request." Cuddy mentally steeled herself for flat-out rejection. Of course, what had she been thinking? Like Wilson would agree to such an outrageous request!

"I'll do it. I'll be your donor."

Cuddy opened her mouth to beg him to reconsider when it hit her. He'd just agreed!

Cuddy flew out of her chair and across the room and before he'd had a chance to react she'd wrapped her arms around him in a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh thank you!" She whispered, tears springing to her eyes, "Are you sure?"

"Like you said, I'd be doing you a favour. That's all." His warm smile betrayed his harsh-sounding words. He wasn't just doing it as a favour to his friend, he was doing it for Cuddy. She clung to him for a few moments longer than necessary when both of them became acutely aware of their position. Cuddy pulled back slightly but Wilson seemed a little reluctant to let go of her. Pulled back just enough to have a clear view of each others' faces, Cuddy studied his intently, his eyes a shade darker than usual and glistening. Her smile faded as she saw her own sudden desire for him reflected back in his eyes as she leant forward towards him. Her almost imperceptible movement was all the encouragement he needed as his lips came crashing down onto hers.

Cuddy reached her hands up to entwine them in his hair, trying to pull him closer. As the kiss intensified, their tongues duelled and Wilson reached around to lift her up as she wrapped her legs around his waist. They stumbled backwards until they hit Cuddy's large desk, hands roaming and lips devouring. The only sound was the jazz and the blood rushing through their ears until... somebody cleared their throat. Loudly. It took a few seconds for them to register the sound but they sprang apart as though scalded.

"Well, well, what do we have here? Fraternization within the ranks?"

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	5. Chapter 5

"Oh for God's sake, House, I thought you had already left for the evening?"

"I did but you seemed a little too eager to get rid of me and on my way down to the parking lot I started to ask myself why you would possibly want to get rid of your bestest buddy in the _whole wide world_!" He said in a patronising voice, as though speaking to a toddler. "If I'd known you were actually trying to have sex with Cuddy in her office I would've stayed to watch the show!" He turned to address Cuddy. "I was wrong about that shirt being too low cut, it's the perfect neckline to get a glimpse of your 'funbags' from that angle!" Cuddy made a strangled noise and was about to object but Wilson beat her to it.

"Greg, please, just get out." He made no attempt to move. _"NOW!" _

House jumped theatrically at Wilson's sudden outburst.

"Wow, you really turn into a grouch when you're denied the nookie! Don't go getting your y-fronts in a twist, I just wanted to confirm whether or not I was correct in my assessment that you two spent last night together. I knew it, I'm never wrong when it comes to diagnoses!"

Wilson folded his arms across his chest.

"Oh, really? And what, pray tell, led you to that conclusion?"

"Well I knew it must've been somebody in the hospital so, naturally, I asked Cameron what she got up to last night. Unfortunately she got wasted with a bunch of college buddies and, well, who would choose you over those hunky jocks, right? If it really _had_ been Jenni from NICU you wouldn't have told me her name when I asked. Then I ran into Cuddy this morning and when I suggested you'd got laid with someone in the hospital she suggested you'd hired a hooker instead." He turned to face Cuddy who was standing with her mouth open ready to protest. "Now, that wasn't a very nice thing to say about your boyfriend, was it?"

"You said I'd hired a hooker?!" Wilson yelped increduously and Cuddy held up her hands in defense with a look of startled panic on her face.

"That's not _exactly_ what I said!"

"No, I believe she said you also frequent chat lines and online dating services!"

Cuddy looked between House and Wilson helplessly.

"He didn't believe you could meet someone outside the hospital of your own accord, I was trying to throw him off!"

House pouted melodramatically at Wilson's silence.

"I think you've bruised your boyfriend's ego."

"Dr House, would you please just leave? What I do on my own time is none of your business!"

He waited for a few moments to see whether Wilson would relent but he just stared disapprovingly.

"Fine, fine, I'm leaving! Don't say I didn't warn you though, Jimmy, remember what I told you down in the cafeteria yesterday!" He walked out making hissing noises and pincer movements with his hands.

Wilson locked the door behind him and closed the blinds so House couldn't peek if he wanted to. He turned back to face Cuddy and raised an eyebrow mockingly.

"Hookers?"

"I...was being sarcastic! I needed an out, House saw me coming out of the room this morning and he asked if I'd seen you! What was I supposed to say, 'Sure, I just asked him to donate his semen and he left to think it over'?"

Wilson chuckled.

"Oh, I'd have paid big money just to see his reaction to that!" He walked back over to her. "Nevermind House, he'll always be an ass!" He smiled seductively, "Now where were we?"

Cuddy leaned up towards him.

"Right about here."

Their lips were millimeters from touching when there was a loud tapping on the glass.

"Oi, no canoodling on the company dime, get a room!"

Wilson lowered his head into the crook of Cuddy's neck and groaned. She reached across the desk for her purse.

"Let's get out of here before I give in to the urge to spike his Vicodin with cyanide!"

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They drove separately to Cuddy's apartment as it was closer and picked up two orders of kung po chicken on the way. As they sat at Cuddy' dining table, Wilson brought up a rather awkward question.

"So, what's the plan then? IVF is incredibly expensive and it's far from guaranteed to be successful."

"Well, I don't see how we have a choice, unless you know of any other procedures with a higher success rate." Cuddy countered.

James suffled awkwardly in his seat.

"Well, I was thinking, since we _are_ seeing each other now, perhaps it would be easier if we tried the... traditional route first?" Seeing Cuddy's shocked expression, he quickly backtracked. "I'm sorry, that was too presumptuous of me," he said as he rolled a napkin vigorously between his hands to remove traces of kung po sauce. Cuddy shook herself out of her surprise and placed her chopsticks down on the table.

"No, no, not at all! It had crossed my mind too, but like you said, it seemed presumptuous of me to suggest it at the time."

Wilson smiled shyly as he peered up through his eyelashes at her.

"I'm game if you are."

Cuddy grinned and reached across the table to grasp his hand in hers.

"Sounds like a great plan to me!"

Wilson lifted her hand up and tugged gently so that she stood up. He then pulled her around the table and she landed with an 'oomph' in his lap. He reached a hand up to brush an errant strand of her hair behind her ear before pulling her face down for a gentle kiss. Their lips glided over one another softly, this kiss was less heated than their first, it was more exploration than raw desire. Cuddy twisted her torso so that she was facing Wilson but it was uncomfortable for a long period of time so she stood without breaking contact with his lips and sat back down in his lap so that she was now straddling him. He let out an involuntary moan low in his throat at the sudden contact with a certain area of his anatomy. Cuddy began to untuck Wilson's shirt from his pants before untying his tie and getting to work on the buttons along his chest. Their kisses deepend as their tongues danced together and Cuddy slowly began to press her hips gently into his. That certainly provoked a reaction from Wilson.

"Oh, God, Lisa..." he moaned into her mouth. It was the first time he'd used her first name but both were too preoccupied to notice. Just as she began to increase the pressure, he pulled back and placed a hand between them to stop her. "Wait," he whispered, "Not here." Cuddy frowned and then nodded in comprehension. He wanted their first time to be somewhere more comfortable than a dining chair. Using his shoulder as leverage to stand up, she took his hand and pulled him in the direction of her bedroom, takeout be damned!

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